." Coming from my earliest childhood years, trip had actually always astounded me. I endured in the boonies and the farmlands, so I didn't have next-door neighbors to go as well as have fun with. If I had not been operating, I was entrusted to my very own units, and typically, I would certainly simply be captivated by the animals and also specifically, the beast of preys that I would certainly find." To me, they embodied an independence of some kind or one more. These birds and the view they possess-- they may take in a lot. So, from that factor on, I recognized I wanted to be actually associated with air travel and also air travel." I [appreciated] all things flight, all things spaceflight. I could not receive good enough of it. I became a devoted reader, whereas previously, I wasn't a lot of an audience. I couldn't obtain enough material to check out my heroes from air travel and also room. They became my shining example and the course that they took entailed, at some point or even another, a rather strenuous education and learning and also devotion to accomplish effectively academically, actually, or athletically. So, I threw myself into that whole entire type of attitude." When I was actually helping the Air Force, I had the ability to soar as well as work with aircraft that I will hope about, looking at in the publications Aviation Full week and Space Modern Technology. Right here they are actually, ideal facing me." ... Thus, my occupation has actually been as close as achievable to that of a flight exam engineer. And after that, exactly on the heels of being actually astounded through atmospheric tour, functioning in individual spaceflight has actually set me over the Moon.".-- Dr. Donald Mendoza, Main Designer, NASA Engineering & Safety Center, NASA's Ames .Graphic Credit Report: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Look at a number of our other Images of NASA.